The Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) in-house watchdog has demanded that the Project On Government Oversight turn over all information it has collected related to abuses and mismanagement at VA medical facilities. The VA is part of the federal government. POGO is a private non-profit group.

I will be the first to admit that NSA surveillance originally began with good intentions to protect us, but they have gone much too far. Likewise neither the NSA, nor the nation as a whole, have gone far enough to stop the potentially dangerous hacking.

There is no doubt that anonymity -- or even perceived-anonymity -- is an incredibly powerful tool on the Internet. When it comes to achieving anonymity online, it is incredibly difficult for the savvy Dark Web user and near-impossible for the casual user.

The internet allows us to form new identities and express controversial ideas without fear of personal reprisal. It allows us to explore interests that would be misunderstood by friends and family and discuss experiences that may damage our career.

It is July, a few summers back, at Paramount's Kings Dominion theme park near Richmond, Va. And as Patrick the Starfish, SpongeBob SquarePants' best cartoon friend, I am the goofy hero of the afternoon.